Metal panel construction



June 2, 1936.

M` LOEWY Filed May 9, 1955 METAL PANEL CONSTRUCTION l I l l t I t /Z/ BY :jl-9v a'.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 2,` 1936 PATENT GFFICE METAL PANEL CONSTRUCTION Morris Loewy, Flushing, N. Y.

Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,601

s claims.

My invention relates to metal panel construction, and more particularly to an improved panel adapted for various uses where a noiseless nonvibrating construction is an essential factor, such as for rolling, sliding or swinging doors, wall partitions, hospital cubicles or screens, and for other applications such as black boards, and wardrobes, etc.

One object of the invention is to provide a panel of the above noted character which will be simple In construction, having improved sound deadening qualities, and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

, Another object is to dispense with many of the forming operations on the panel plates heretofore found necessary to connect the plates together at their edges.

. Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawing illustrating various forms in which the invention may be embodied.

Fig. 1 is a face view of one type of panel to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view adjacent one of the margins'of the panel shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates a modined form of construction.

Fig. 4 is a further modification.

Fig. 5 illustrates a form of frame member comprising a constructional element of my'panel.

Fig. 6 is another form of frame member.

In the drawing the reference numeral I0 indicates a metal panel incorporating two oppositely disposed plates I I and I2 adapted to be connected together adjacent their outer margins. Heretofore many different forms of connection have been utilized to obtain the solid union necessary atl this point to insure against noises being set up in the panel as a result of vibration. Those forms of connection involved the use of various expedients such as welding the preformed flanged edges of the plates together at intervals along the panel edges, and the many operations necessary were both time consuming and expensive. Other constructions involving the use of more orv less complicated bends at the edges of the plates and in which the bent conformations were depended upon to not only connect the plates together but also to space the plates apart were not entirelysatisfactory since it is difficult to obtain the accurate bending or forming of the plates at their margins to insure proper spacing and at the same time a rigid vibration free connection between the plates. According to my invention the simplied construction at the plate edges does away with welding operations at the edges of the flanges, and the need of depending on the formed margins of the plates to obtain the space between the walls of the plates. I provide a structural member which may comprise a channelsection as indicated at I3 in Fig. 2 in order to obtain the definite spacing required. The plates II and I2 are each formed with in- Wardly directed flanges III which are shaped ad- 10 jacent their ends to provide outwardly extending edge portions I5 which are adapted to be tightly engaged by the inturned edges I6 of a molding strip I1. It will be seen that the member I3 establishes a proper space I8 between the opposed 15 ends of the flanges III to effect the aforenamed tight engagement of the molding strip Il, and to thereby rigidly hold the parts together. It will also be observed that the member I3 is independent of and without connection to either the panel 20 plates or the molding strip, and that said member functions only as a spacing means for holding the plates apart and at a proper distance apart to cause the molding strip to tightly engage the outwardly extending edges I5 of the panel plates. 25 This construction materially simplifies the forming operation on the parts and assembling thereof to form the final panel, since the spacing member I3 is merely a simple framework having no interlocking connection with the edges of the molding 30 strip or the panel plates. The spacing member I3 may be in the form of a frame as illustrated in Fig. 5 having mitered corners. The space between the plates I I and I2 may be filled with any appropriate sound deadening material I9 such 35 as sheet asbestos, fiber, or cardboard.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a slightly different form of construction with reference to the rigid spacing member. Here a tubular member 20 of rectangular cross section has been substituted for 40 the channel section I3, the relationship of the parts being the same as described in connection with Fig. 2. I have shown in this panel a laminated form of card board filler 2 I, but itis obvious that any other suitable form of filler may be used. 45 The member 20 may take the form of a frame as depicted in Fig. 6 wherein top and bottom pieces 22 are spaced by the uprights 23.

As a further substitute a frame 24 of solid construction is shown in Fig. 4. When a frame of 50 the type shown in Fig. 5 is used it may comprise metal channel mitered as at 25, and the free ends brought together at one of the corners as indicated at 26. Preferably the parts are shaped so that the spacing member the strip of molding and 55 the inwardly directed flanges of the plates have faces extending 'in parallel abutting relation transversely of the panel. However, the forego: ing details may be varied within the scope of the appended claims. The corners of the frames may be welded at the meeting edges if desired, and it is usual in panels of this kind to miter and weld the corners of the molding strips.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges.

2. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges, said molding strip including plane surfaces abutting said flanges on their outer surfaces.

3. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges, said molding strip including plane surfaces abutting said flanges on their outer surfaces, the abutting surfaces being disposed in parallel relation transversely of the panel.

4. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said structural member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges, said structural member being of channel cross-section.

5. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges, said structural member being tubular in cross-section.

6. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space-between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of said flanges, said structural member being of solid cross-section.

7. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces,'and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly en` gaging the outwardly extending edge portions of the flanges, said frame surrounding a sound-deadening filler.

8. A panel construction comprising a pair ofA metal plates provided at their margins with inturned flanges shaped adjacent their ends to form outwardly extending edge portions, a rigid structural member between the plates immediately beneath said flanges, said flanges being spaced from each other by said structural member, said member including a plane surface extending across the space between the flanges and abutting them on their inside surfaces, and a molding strip having inturned edges tightly engaging the outwardly extending edge portions of the flanges, said structural member comprising a frame extending around the interior of the panel.

MORRIS LOEWY.

structural member comprising a- A 

